City Club Hotel

“Former gentleman's club turned luxury hotel, serving up style, serenity and top-dollar food just steps from Times Square and Broadway”

Times Square isn't exactly short of hotels, so you know you're doing something right if Vogue editor Anna Wintour and heiress Lulu de Kwiatkowski are first in your visitors' book. Ardently preserving the cachet of the gentleman’s club it once was, City Club lavishes you with luxury. Lovingly restored mahogany-framed windows, antique books and circa-1900 maps make you feel like you've landed the keys to a distinguished home, not a 65-room hotel. The only giveaways are the Ted Baker-liveried staff, Daniel Boulud’s coveted cuisine in the kitchen - and Manhattan's fastidious foodies queuing to try it.

The lobby is deliberately diminutive (no grand entrances here), as is the mezzanine lounge, but there's plenty of space where you need it most (bedroom and bathroom). There's a pre-dinner drinks area at DB Bistro Moderne (till 11pm), but if you're after all-night cocktails, you've a million bars and the glitz of Midtown within stumbling distance... and a party-free zone to return to so you can get some serious sleep - in the city that never does.

We liked the natty all-in-one remote for lights, heating and entertainment

And the shelf-fuls of novels to borrow, the free WiFi, and the NYTimes outside your door every morning

Lows

The décor is beginning to look a little tired, but a rolling hotel-wide refurb is underway

Some rooms look out over a less-than-glamorous internal lightwell, and those overlooking 44th Street can be a little noisy as they have original windows

Small wardrobe area with limited hanging space and shelves

The guest lounge is tiny: no cosy sofas nor a full bar, just a drinks area with tables and chairs

Best time to go

“New York is most welcoming in spring and summer, when the threat of extreme (scorching or freezing) temperatures is at its lowest. The run-up to Christmas is also a great time to visit, when Central Park's outdoor ice rink is open and awe-inspiring trees appear.”

But don’t be fooled by the appointments. Designer Jeffrey Bilhuber has made every effort to make this a home from home, thoughtfully concealing abominable hotel appliances (minibar, travel iron, safe box) in the wardrobe, and adding iPod docks, clock radios and comfy bathrobes (but sadly no tea-making facilities). There's more than a hint of old-meets-new-world, too: framed discs, antique books and - most delightful of all, in most rooms - a comfy, cushion-strewn daybed that begs you to curl up with a book by your Dickensian lead-paned window.

Petite Rooms are not as small as you might think (195 sq.ft.), but all overlook the internal lightwell. Queen Luxe Rooms (most with the same lack of view) are 50% bigger. The King Luxe Rooms are not only bigger again (365 sq.ft.) but also much brighter and airier; some have city views and bathtubs. If you want a guaranteed view of the street rather than a brick wall, choose a Luxe Double Double Room with 2 double beds, or one of the 3 spiral-staircased Grand Duplex Suites. With their 20ft-high corniced ceilings and doors opening onto small terraces, the latter are particularly wonderful - and can be joined together if you're coming as a small group and want the very best.

All in all we felt the rooms were comfortable, and understated but not under-designed; our only gripes were the minimal wardrobe space, occasional noise from the street and corridor, and the overall darkness of the inward-facing rooms.

Features include:

Air conditioning

Bathrobes

Central heating

DVD player

Extra beds

Fan

Ipod dock

Iron

Minibar/fridge

Phone

Radio

Safe box

Satellite TV

Toiletries

WiFi

Eating

As you enter DB Bistro Moderne from the lobby, the first thing you’ll notice is the throng of people (book ahead to be sure of a table); the second, that there's no bar. A floor-to-ceiling wine display stands where you’d imagine one to be, with a pair of high tables opposite making up the drinks area - neatly sandwiched between the restaurant’s 2 dining rooms. If you’re in the mood for something fun, eat street-side, where flamboyant flower prints match the lipstick-red walls. The back room is furnished with starched-tablecloth sophistication - striped banquettes, Stephen McKay chandeliers and a mirrored backdrop.

Once the menu makes an appearance, you realise design is not the focus here. French/American may not sound like a convivial culinary coupling, but the bestselling foie gras and black truffle burger stands testament to chef Daniel Boulud’s acclaimed fusions. If you find this a tad fussy, stick to French classics like the sautéed lemon sole, coq au vin or duck confit. The restaurant also provides a room service menu for those who don't want to venture beyond the comfort of their daybed.

Breakfast (not included in room rates) is a similar story - the home-baked brioche will transport you to France, the baked madeleines to heaven; only the eggs left us unmoved.

For a lighter bite, skip DB's opulence in favour of Japanese fare at nearby Koi, go Greek at Kellari, or hit the Red Flame Diner a few doors down for the quintessential New York diner experience.

Features include:

Bar

Children's meals

Minibar/fridge

Restaurant

Restaurants nearby

Room service

Vegetarian menu

Activities

Staying at City Club, you’re likely to taxi through Times Square at least once. To get to the heart of the place, drop into the Times Square Visitors' Centre at 1560 Broadway

Whether you love or hate visiting cathedrals, St Patrick’s is as dramatic as they come, and definitely worth a look

Venturing upwards to view the world’s most famous skyline is obligatory in New York. The Empire State Building has a cramped viewing platform compared to the Rockefeller Centre. At Christmas the Rockefeller tree is a must

Add a soupçon of glamour to your stay by sampling the oysters at Grand Central Terminal - and soak up the majesty of one of the world’s most famous stations on your way out

Art lovers won’t know where to start at The Metropolitan Museum, where classical and modern art are housed with enough artefacts to keep you wandering around for days

If that's not enough, head to MoMA where, amid gasps of delight and the unsanctioned snapping of cameras, visitors come face to face with world-famous works from the likes of Picasso and Warhol

You can request a yoga instructor to come to the hotel, or you can take part in a class nearby - either can be arranged through the concierge

Activities on site or nearby include:

Historical sites

Museums / galleries

Nightlife

Shopping / markets

Yoga

Kids

Children are welcome and this is a great central location for them. There are baby cots and extra beds, babysitting and large suites perfect for families.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Grand Duplex Suites (sleeping 4) are great for families, with 1.5 bathrooms and flat-screen TVs on both floors. All 3 suites can join together to sleep 12

Babysitting:

Babysitting can be arranged via the concierge

Children's meals:

This is where it gets tricky - the gourmet food here is not as well suited to a child's palate as an adult's. Maybe the solution is to take them to a nearby diner for tea (there are plenty) and book a babysitter for the evening so you can indulge. There are no kettles in the rooms, no baby food heating facilities and no self-catering options, making this better for older kids

Families Should Know:

Light sleepers might not like the noise (it's natural if you're in the heart of New York though). The spiral staircases in the Grand Duplex Suites don't have stairgates and won't suit very young families

Distances:

Location

City Club Hotel is situated on the north side of 44th Street, in the centre of Midtown, Manhattan. It's between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, 2 blocks east of Times Square, 2 blocks west of Grand Central Station, and 11 blocks northeast of Penn Station.

By AirFly to New York JFK (27km away), New York La Guardia (16km away) or Newark (27km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the AirportIt takes 30-45 minutes to reach the hotel by cab from JFK and La Guardia, and around an hour from Newark. Travelling by public transport takes a little longer. All airport (yellow) taxis have set tolls from the airports to Manhattan. Click on the links below to see the best ways of getting into town from the airports.

By Public TransportThe nearest subway stop is 42nd Street, on the B, D, F and V lines, which is 2 blocks away.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

Other:

Our guests' ratings...

Wow, this is a GREAT pick. It ticks every box. Excellent, central location and very walk-able to a lot of things like Rockefeller, Grand Central, 5th Avenue Shops and much more.

The room (King) was huge by NYC standards. We travelled with our 5 year old son and the hotel staff had the sofa converted into a comfy bed on arrival without us even asking - fantastic!

The room design is pretty clever and fun. The way they've made use of every nook and cranny is pretty impressive. The mini bar is hidden behind a painting on the wall, the closet door is nearly invisible and blends in with the wall, etc.

The staff were all very friendly. One small complaints is the noise of the plumbing (toilet flush) Fortunately though, the rest of the room is super quiet. We didn't hear our neighbors once during our stay.

My other, very small, complaint is the doormen. I know it's winter and it's cold, but more often than not they were standing inside at the front desk chatting with the reception staff rather than tending to the door. They are super friendly though and have great suggestions on best and cheapest transport options.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to stay in the Midtown area. We will most definitely be staying there next time we are in NYC!

9/10,
Mike, United States, January 2018

Room was comfortable and cleaning staff were excellent. As mentioned by another reviewer air con can be quite noisy and the petite rooms are adjacent to the lifts. Would like to have commented on the room service but my breakfast never arrived even after contacting reception twice.